The Wisconsin softball team (1-5 Big Ten, 12-24 overall) dropped a pair of games to conference rival Illinois (5-2, 20-10) at the Goodman Softball Complex Saturday.
The Fighting Illini shut out the Badgers 8-0 in game one, as Illinois freshman hurler Monica Perry no-hit UW in five innings. Illinois went on to win a close second game 3-2, headlined by a controversial call at the plate.
Perry pitched two complete games Saturday, allowing only two runs on six hits and three walks for the day. In game one, Perry was two walks away from a perfect game, giving up walks to Wisconsin sophomores Jennifer Krueger and Livi Abney.
UW junior Letty Olivarez got the ball in game one against Perry, managing to keep the Illinois lead to 3-0. The bottom fell out for the Badgers in the fourth inning, as Olivarez gave up three more runs and was then replaced by sophomore Kristyn Hansen with the bases loaded, who gave up two runs of her own. Wisconsin could not create a rally after trailing eight runs, and Illinois won by slaughter rule.
In game one, Olivarez and Hansen were unable to shut down Illinois' potent offense. The Illini scored eight runs on 12 hits, and Illini batters had over twice as many at-bats as Wisconsin. Illini sophomore Danielle Zymkowitz, who has the best batting average on her team, went 3-for-3 at the plate.
UW looked to get its offense going in game two, with a fresh arm in senior Leah Vanevenhoven in the circle, facing Illinois' Perry once again. The Badgers got the scoring going first, plating a run in the bottom of the first. After scoring back and forth through five innings, Wisconsin and Illinois were tied, 2-2.
Illinois took the lead for good in the sixth inning on a controversial call by the home plate umpire. With a runner on third, Wisconsin senior Alexis Garcia dove for a sharp ground ball at first base and attempted to throw the runner out at home. The catcher, sophomore Dana Rasmussen, caught the ball cleanly and applied the tag, but the umpire called the runner safe, giving Illinois a 3-2 lead.
The crowd, which felt Rasmussen had tagged the runner out, booed the umpire. Head coach Chandelle Schulte immediately came out of the dugout and argued the call, but to no avail.
""Lex made an amazing play, Dana made the tag,"" said Vanevenhoven. The pitcher tried to play down the incident, but Schulte let her feelings show, saying the umpire made a bad call.
Vanevenhoven held the Illini offense for the rest of the game, but UW was unable to come back. Perry struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh, giving Illinois the victory.
""I think they did a really good job of keeping the game close,"" said Perry, praising the Badgers' defense and pitching in game two.
Vanevenhoven pitched a solid complete game, giving up three runs on only four hits and two walks. Illinois' Zymkowitz went 0-for-3 at the plate after dominating the Badgers in game one.
""Her ball moved really well,"" said Garcia about Vanevenhoven's pitching. Garcia lamented that the Badgers could not get their hitting, defense and pitching going at the same time.
""We needed to have them at certain moments, and we didn't,"" she said.
UW will host the Northern Iowa Panthers in a doubleheader Wednesday at the Goodman Softball Complex. Game one starts at 4 p.m. with game two slated to start at 6 p.m.
